Today's best bets, by Chris Cook

Some of you may have stumbled across the story of Liz Jones, the highly paid Mail on Sunday columnist who has been sent cash by readers, including some who can ill afford to give it away, after writing about her financial problems. Jones appears to have been the author of her own misfortune but has still drawn a sympathetic response from the readership of a paper not known for its approval of begging.

Anyway, it occurred to me that this pretty little story might get some of you thinking: "I wonder if I should send a few quid to Tony, Greg, Chris and Will, just to tide them over. They undoubtedly get paid less than this Jones creature and they all have gambling habits to support".

Let me reassure you that we are all ticking along just fine, at the moment, and have no need to call upon your charity. But thanks for the thought.

In any case, we'd only blow it on dreadful beasts like Yourgolftravel Com (3.20), who runs in the mile handicap at Brighton. This five-year-old had shown almost no sign of ability until winning here last month, though he had only had six runs before that.

He overcame trouble in running and finished strongly enough to suggest that today's extra furlong will help, so an extra 6lb seems unlikely to have much effect and 11-2 is very fair. To my eyes, his chance is slightly stronger than Eager To Bow, who is favourite.

Yourgolftravel Com was chased home last time by Four Kicks (4.50), who has won since and has a fine chance at 7-4 in a weak-looking apprentice race later on the card.

Ed McMahon is having a moderate season so far but he should be back in the winner's enclosure after the five-furlong maiden at Carlisle. His Electric Waves (6.30) ran fourth last month in a Windsor maiden that has worked out well – the second, third and sixth have all won maidens since then, while the winner went in again at Newbury on Friday.

She is only even money but ordinary progress should be enough to take this. None of the newcomers appear especially threatening – not even the one named after a character from Corrie.

Tipping competition, day two

Leviticus67 kicked off the week with a brace of 15-2 winners, taking him into a handy lead. Carl31 and goofs also had doubles.

This week's prize is 16 lines into Saturday's Scoop6, for which the win fund is expected to exceed £1.5m.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you can do so today, but you must start on -3.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.